It’s worth it to help to
Avon. He lived in town, and Larry Schmidt, the Avon Fire Department chief at the time, asked him if he wanted to become a firefighter. Pflueger agreed, and 35 years later, he is still a member of the AFD.
Pflueger page 2F
Justin Berg
Brian Jarl Ross Voit
Dan Fiedler
RaeAnn Waytashek
Carrie Kloss
Matt Mitzel Andy Noble Andy Otremba
Mark Buntjer Steve Klaverkamp
Geoff Martinson Jordan Hess
PHOTO BY BEN SONNEK
Chris Pflueger stands in the garage of the Avon Fire Department Sept. 17 in Avon. Pflueger has been part of the AFD for 35 years.
When Pflueger first joined, medical emergencies were not often part of the AFD’s calls, aside from car accidents. He saw those emergencies enter the department’s domain, though, as firefighters began to undergo more medical training.
Another advancement Pflueger has seen in firefighting has been the communication technology. When he first joined, the AFD still had the “fire tree,” where the fire chief would get the call and have an assistant call
a list of names to bring in the firefighters, who would not know what they were responding to until they arrived at the hall. A few years later, they received pagers, and today, Stearns County has a system that texts firefighters with details and a map system. Radios advanced from brick-like units with retractable antennae to 800 megahertz radios which could communicate with the five-state area.
Through his firefighting career, Pflueger advanced to the assistant chief position for a few years before he decided to step down.
“The
way I looked at it, I was more valuable to the guys doing the grunt work than I was standing there, pointing fingers,” he said.
Along with his 140acre cattle farm, Pflueger works on the grounds crew at St. John’s University in Collegeville. It is not unusual to his employers when he has to go on an emergency call.
“If I’m close enough to my vehicle, I’ll drop what I’m doing, and my boss understands,” Pflueger said. “They’re very accommodating to that part of it.”
Sometimes, though, calls come in during less convenient times, such as important family events.
“My daughter was making her First Communion,” ueger said. “We were in church, and it was about time for us to go up for First Communion, and my pager went off. My wife looked at me and said, ‘You are not going to that call.’ … You make what you can, and unfortunately, you can’t make them all.”
In his 35 years, ueger has only had one mayday call where one of his fellow firefighters fell through the floor of a burning building. The person survived, but for years after the accident,
P
flueger and he paid extra attention to floors.
Pflueger has responded to car accidents involving people he knows, which can be difficult as well.
“You do the best you can with what you have to work with out there,” he said. “Those hit home quite hard, too. There were a number of times I walked away from that department, and I said, ‘Is it really worth it?’”
One of the things that has kept Pflueger going, though, are the kind words and thanks the department and he receive from people.
“It honestly makes a big difference,” he said.
“When you’re down and out and beat up with all the calls and everything else, you look back at those letters, and you feel good about yourself and are willing to go again.”
P
flueger plans to stay with the AFD for as long as he can keep up, but having just turned 59, he estimates he might retire in a few years. He encourages other interested community members to consider joining their local fire departments. In his experience, helping someone in an emergency is one of the most rewarding things there is.
“Five or six years ago, I was in Mills Fleet Farm, … and there was
a lady who was looking at me,” Pflueger said. “She goes, ‘Is your name Chris? Do you remember a car accident on the interstate? It was a rollover, … (and) I remember you crawling into the vehicle and saying, ‘Hi, my name’s Chris, I’m with the Avon Fire Department, and we’re going to get you out of here. I was so nervous and scared, but you came in with this confidence.’”
The woman told Pflueger she had always wanted to come back and thank him.
“It’s stuff like that that keeps you going,” he said.
PHOTOS BY BEN SONNEK
Chris Pflueger checks on his equipment at the Avon Fire Department Sept. 17 in Avon. Pflueger has served in the AFD in positions as high as assistant fire chief.
Chris Pflueger walks to the Avon Fire Department Sept. 17 in Avon. Pflueger also works on the grounds crew at St. John’s University in Collegeville and tends to his 140acre cattle farm.
PHOTO BY SARAH MIDDENDORF
The Brooten Fire Department members are Thor Amundson (front, from left), Calvin Hanson, Gary Olson, Kern Nelson, Todd Trustheim and Dave Bast; (middle, from left) Colton Henjum, Jordan Bares, Jake Steinhofer, Preston Kuefler, Tim Lent, Chief Mark Torkelson and Tyler Hanson; (back, from left) Amber Carver, Casey Ritter, Lyle Knutson, Brett Schuerman and Ted Aubart. Not pictured are Aaron Anderson,
Jones, Adam Martin, Matt Ogdahl, Josh Rajewsky, Justin Vogel, Lynn Wold and Jeffrey Zimmerman.
The Elrosa Fire Department members are Gary Deters (front, from left), Nelson Zimmerman, Daryl Zimmerman, Tony Lieser, Jordan Deters, Chief Brandon Deters, Paul Kampsen and Assistant Chief Brandon Felling; (middle, from left), Luke Sauder, Tom Borgerding, Dwight Zimmerman, Relief President Kevin Wesbur, Brian Rademacher, James Stauty and Megan Imdieke; (back, from left), Mark Bayer, Edwin Martin, Treasurer Jim Derichs, Jason Heinen, Marcus Krahn, Ron Boogaard and Training Officer Gregory Martin. Not pictured are Matt Bauer, Tyler Bertram, Craig Dold, Dustin Gregory, Bradlin Martin, Jim Walz and Ryan Welle.
PHOTO BY SARAH MIDDENDORF
PHOTO SUBMITTED
The Holdingford Fire Department members are Mike Schmidt (front, from left), Melanie Odden, Arlene Warga, Dan Gerads, Brian Donabauer and Matthew Pantze; (middle, from left) Tony Stalberger, Dustin Siegle, Samantha Slivnik, Amber Molitor, Doug Legatt, Tim Winter and Aaron Rudolph; (back, from left) Keith Hommerding, Pat Meier, Melvin Breth, Zack Thomas and Davis Mickelson. Not pictured are Adam Achman, Bruce Gerads, Kelly Kobernusz, Chad Panek, Kyle Pundsack, Justin Spanier and Jim Stang,
The Long Prairie Fire Department members are Josh Meyer (front, from left), Salvador Morelos, Otis Ostendorf, Pete Nelson,
and Kevin Houdek; (back, from left) Chris Haasser, Brandon Hudalla, Bud Otte, Kyle Bodle, Jason Sellnow, Mike Terwey,
Laumeyer. Not pictured are John Ecker and Jeremy Haugen.
Melrose from 12F
The MFD fire hall used to be located where NAPA Auto Parts is today. The two 1952 fire engines were stored there, and the doors would sometimes freeze in the winter. Roerhl remembers one time when the firemen could not get the doors open to respond to a fire, so one of the firemen drove a fire engine through the door.
One of those 1952 fire engines is still with the MFD, parked in its fire hall.
Once the MFD outgrew its building, the hall was moved to its current location in 2010. They needed a place to house their ladder truck, which is one of only a few in Stearns County.
Today, the MFD has 26 firefighters and seven trucks — three pumper engines, the ladder truck, two tankers and a couple of grass rigs.
The MFD used to respond to about 120 calls per year, many of which were chimney fires, and they covered 100 square miles; there would often be nothing left of structures by the time they arrived.
Now, the MFD also goes to medical calls, car accidents and fire alarms. The total number varies, but they generally handle 130 calls per year, and fires are roughly 20% of that number. Looking ahead, the MFD’s priorities include
keeping up with the progressing technology.
“Things go so much faster, fire- and flamewise,” Tom said.
The department also aims to grow and maintain its roster. The maximum number of firefighters they can have is 30, but recent years have had them averaging in the low 20s.
For these three fire chiefs, one of the best things about being a firefighter is the bond formed with other firefighters across the country.
“I was born and raised a local kid,” Kraemer said. “At the same time, you create almost a second family (as a firefighter), a whole other group of people from all walks of life.”
PHOTO BY BEN SONNEK
On Sept. 6, Melrose Fire Department Chief Tom Budde points himself out on a 400 block photo from Melrose’s Sept. 8, 2016, fire in Melrose. His father, Sheldon, was MFD fire chief from 1977-86.
New rescue van meets growing needs
Includes iconic smiley-faced water tower decal
BY CAROL MOORMAN STAFF WRITER
Freeport Fire Department’s new rescue van will allow first responders, who are also firefighters, to respond to emergency calls during challenging situations, especially in winter.
“It has four-wheel drive, and our other one had two-wheel drive,” Chief Andy Grieve said.. “We’ve gotten stuck when we go out in nasty weather.”
The box in the back is larger, meaning it can hold more equipment, and it is higher, allowing first responders to stand if needed.
“We can have four people in the back and two in the front,” Grieve said.
PHOTO BY CAROL MOORMAN
Freeport Fire Department first responders and firefighters — Loren Goebel (front, from left), Branden Roering, Andy Grieve, Zach Hoeschen,
Jamie Engelmeyer, Matthew Beste and Joe Laing; (back) Corey Oevermann — gather in front of their new rescue van, with Freeport’s iconic smiley-faced water tower, before the start of the July 21 Sacred Heart Parish Festival Parade in Freeport. The rescue van, which is a 2023 model, was built to the department’s specifications.
These are just a few of the amenities on this vehicle that was ordered in spring 2021, built in 2023 and arrived in Freeport in July for use by the 23-member department.
“We never did get a definite reason (why it was taking so long),” Grieve said. “If we would have dropped it and reordered, there would have been a price increase. This way, the price was locked in.”
The rescue van cost $197,000, plus the fee for decals.
It was paid for through money in the fire department’s sinking fund, along with close to $75,000 in donations. Cities and townships in the Freeport Fire Service pay an annual fee for emergency services.
The Freeport Fire Department utilized its old rescue van for 17 years, which was a used vehicle when they purchased it. That van was sold to the Elrosa Fire Department.
The new rescue van — a 2023 model — was built to the department’s specifications.
“Every department is unique,” Grieve said. “This one fits what Freeport needs.”
The Ford chassis is basic, but the box on the back is made with Freeport’s stipulations.
“It’s how we wanted the seating arranged, and (it) has outlets, so the cabinets we had in the old rescue van would fit,” Grieve said.
Medical equipment, including for extrications, is stored in the van.
For cardiac-related care, they have an auto-
mated external defibrillator and a Lund University Cardiac Assist System device that provides cardiopulmonary resuscitation intervention.
“We also have a blood pressure machine, everything for the OBGYN kit, oxygen, Narcan (used for opioid overdoses), medical bags filled with supplies and Gumby (immersion) suits,” Grieve said. These suits are used for cold water rescues.
The department purchased leg, arm and full-body air splints at a total cost of $1,200.
“So, if somebody falls, we can lay them on this (air splint) and it conforms around them,” Grieve said. “It’s more comfortable for the patients.”
The rescue van was used for the first time during an emergency call July 25, and by Aug. 27, it had been utilized nine times. It took its first trip down a Freeport street July 21 as it was driven through the Sacred Heart Parish
Festival Parade. Spectators may have noticed familiar icons on the back sides. There are gray decals of the iconic smiley-faced Freeport water tower, which Grieve said was firefighter Josh Pung’s idea.
“No other department can claim that,” Grieve said.
The wait for Freeport’s new rescue van was worth it.
SUBMITTED The rear of the Freeport Fire Department’s new rescue van includes a Lund University Cardiac Assist System device that provides cardiopulmonary resuscitation intervention as well as leg, arm and full-body air splints. The department received nearly $75,000 in donations to help with the van purchase. (Left) Equipment sits in the Freeport Fire Department’s new rescue van. The rescue van has fourwheel drive.
We’re proud to support our local fire departments and volunteer firefighters who protect our homes, businesses, and communities. We’re especially grateful to have some of these dedicated heroes as part of our team.
Thank you for your commitment and service!
Freeport Fire Department’s new rescue van holds equipment and supplies necessary for emergencies. The vehicle was ordered in spring 2021, built in 2023 and arrived in July.
Insured by NCUA
